400 



twenty or thirty feet, and its depth from the surface is about 

 ninety feet. There is every reason to believe that this ore was 

 produced by the decomposition of a mixture of copper and iron 

 pyrites, which form the floor of the deposit. Specimens of this 

 ore, having a scoriseform appearance, like the lavas and scorise of 

 volcanoes, were obtained from the Tennessee, Niwassee, and 

 Cherokee mines. 



By assaying cargo samples, it was found that the Tennessee 

 ore yielded 26.6 per cent, of copper, and the Niwassee 22.8 per 

 cent. ; but specimens may be obtained which contain from 40 to 

 50 per cent. 



The quantity of ore sent to market from these mines, may be 

 judged of by the fact that no less than one hundred and fifty 

 wagons are constantly employed in transportation of it to Dalton, 

 tlje nearest point where the railroad approaches the mines. 

 Several powerful companies are now actively at work developing 

 the copper mines of East Tennessee, and there can be no doubt 

 that a very large supply of copper will be obtained. 



Dr. Jackson referred the Society to his forthcoming Reports for 

 further details concerning these mines. 



He had also examined the gold mines of Lumpkin county, 

 Georgia, which are about to be opened extensively. The most 

 remarkable geological feature in this region is, the great depth to 

 which the talcose slate rocks are decomposed. 



The strata stand at an angle of from seventy to seventy-five 

 degrees from the horizon, and the atmospheric water, and other 

 decomposing agencies, have operated upon the rocks to the depth 

 of more than eighty feet, so that the rocks may actually be dug 

 away by the pickaxe and shovel to that depth. The gold is con- 

 tained, mixed with brown oxide of iron, in this rock, and has 

 heretofore been washed out after the rude Californian method, 

 the coarser gold only being saved. The company, now organ- 

 ized, intend to establish extensive and good gold mills, so as to 

 save the finer gold, and to work larger quantities of the ore, or 

 decomposed rock. 



Specimens of the gold-bearing rocks of several North Carolina 

 mines, were also exhibited, and the most important mines were 

 described. Namely, the McCulIoch, Gold Hill, Capps, and Union 

 county gold mines, all of which are of great value, and will give 



